2937.221
Deposit of driver's license as bond.

(A)
A
person arrested without warrant for any violation listed in division (B) of
this section, and having a current valid Ohio driver's or commercial driver's
license, if the person has been notified of the possible consequences of the
person's actions as required by division (C) of this section, may post bond by
depositing the license with the arresting officer if the officer and person so
choose, or with the local court having jurisdiction if the court and person so
choose. The license may be used as bond only during the period for which it is
valid.

When an arresting
officer accepts the driver's or commercial driver's license as bond, the
officer shall note the date, time, and place of the court appearance on "the
violator's notice to appear," and the notice shall serve as a valid Ohio
driver's or commercial driver's license until the date and time appearing
thereon. The arresting officer immediately shall forward the license to the
appropriate court.

When a local court
accepts the license as bond or continues the case to another date and time, it
shall provide the person with a card in a form approved by the registrar of
motor vehicles setting forth the license number, name, address, the date and
time of the court appearance, and a statement that the license is being held as
bond. The card shall serve as a valid license until the date and time contained
in the card.

The court may accept
other bond at any time and return the license to the person. The court shall
return the license to the person when judgment is satisfied, including, but not
limited to, compliance with any court orders, unless a suspension or
cancellation is part of the penalty imposed.

If the person arrested
fails to appear in court at the date and time set by the court or fails to
satisfy the judgment of the court, including, but not limited to, compliance
with all court orders within the time allowed by the court, the court may
declare the forfeiture of the person's license. Thirty days after the
declaration of the forfeiture, the court shall forward the person's license to
the registrar. The court also shall enter information relative to the
forfeiture on a form approved and furnished by the registrar and send the form
to the registrar. The registrar shall suspend the person's license and send
written notification of the suspension to the person at the person's last known
address. No valid driver's or commercial driver's license shall be granted to
the person until the court having jurisdiction orders that the forfeiture be
terminated. The court shall inform the registrar of the termination of the
forfeiture by entering information relative to the termination on a form
approved and furnished by the registrar and sending the form to the registrar.
Upon the termination, the person shall pay to the bureau of motor vehicles a
reinstatement fee of fifteen dollars to cover the costs of the bureau in
administering this section. The registrar shall deposit the fees so paid into
the state bureau of motor vehicles fund created by section 4501.25 of the
Revised Code.

In addition, upon
receipt from the court of the copy of the declaration of forfeiture, neither
the registrar nor any deputy registrar shall accept any application for the
registration or transfer of registration of any motor vehicle owned by or
leased in the name of the person named in the declaration of forfeiture until
the court having jurisdiction over the offense that led to the suspension
issues an order terminating the forfeiture. However, for a motor vehicle leased
in the name of a person named in a declaration of forfeiture, the registrar
shall not implement the preceding sentence until the registrar adopts
procedures for that implementation under section 4503.39 of the Revised Code.
Upon receipt by the registrar of such an order, the registrar also shall take
the measures necessary to permit the person to register a motor vehicle the
person owns or leases or to transfer the registration of a motor vehicle the
person owns or leases if the person later makes a proper application and
otherwise is eligible to be issued or to transfer a motor vehicle
registration.

(B)
Division
(A) of this section applies to persons arrested for violation of:

(1)
Any of the provisions of Chapter 4511. or 4513. of the Revised Code, except
sections 4511.19, 4511.20, 4511.251, and 4513.36 of the Revised Code;

(2)
Any municipal ordinance substantially similar to a section included in division
(B)(1) of this section;

(3)
Any bylaw, rule, or regulation of the Ohio turnpike and
infrastructure commission substantially similar to a section included in
division (B)(1) of this section.

Division (A) of this
section does not apply to those persons issued a citation for the commission of
a minor misdemeanor under section 2935.26 of the Revised Code.

(C)
No license
shall be accepted as bond by an arresting officer or by a court under this
section until the officer or court has notified the person that, if the person
deposits the license with the officer or court and either does not appear on
the date and at the time set by the officer or the court, if the court sets a
time, or does not satisfy any judgment rendered, including, but not limited to,
compliance with all court orders, the license will be suspended, and the person
will not be eligible for reissuance of the license or issuance of a new
license, or the issuance of a certificate of registration for a motor vehicle
owned or leased by the person until the person appears and complies with any
order issued by the court. The person also is subject to any criminal penalties
that may apply to the person.

(D)
The registrar shall not restore the person's driving or vehicle registration
privileges until the person pays the reinstatement fee as provided in this
section.